Tuesday Archives #159: Teacher Gifts

Welcome to the linky party that rejuvenates your old quilting/sewing posts! 

Please click here to read more about this linky party.  

This week's theme is: TEACHER GIFTS

I'm having an especially fun week, but I know many of you are school teachers as well, both active or retired and some of you are also teachers (writers) of quilting, art, or other genres of learning...

so let be one, of the hopefully many, that wish you a wonderful, fantastic:

Thank YOU for inspiring, guiding and movtivation the learners who's lives you touch.

This week let's rejuvinate posts that highlight homemade gifts created especially for those teachers, secretaries, ya know any and all of  those special workplace people that make a difference in our lives. Like Tonya....she makes THE best gifts! I mean, look at her adorable tea towels:

LOVE THESE!!

Hello May!

Oh Happy, Happy Merry Month of May!

It's that time of year again when the end of the school year is fast approaching and there aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done I'd like to do. Soooo here comes my list to share with everyone else at OMG to help keep track of all my creative projects.

In the sewing room:

   My H2H quilt will be posted and mailed this week. Yeah! Then, as the weekend nears, I plan to complete my April Scrap Dance Tango Mystery step and get this pretty below onto the quilting frame. I want to get it quilted & bound for my May OMG over the next couple of weeks. Don't ya just love it's "springy" colors. And for some easy peasy, scrappy sewing, I'd be pysched to get my March red and May green RSC crayons done. Well see....if not, I'll get them caught up over Summer.

 I also plan to have a little R&R one Sunday afternoon as I stay in my jammies and enjoy a good movie as I prep the first block of my 2017 BOM. (It just arrived in the mail!). I've missed having an applique project on hand and do look forward to having this as my Slow Sunday Stitching...especially as the weather gradually begins to warm and I can sit outside and stitch. (It finishes as a queen size so I'm looking forward to having a new bed quilt around this time next year.) 

Sounds like a good month of sewing ahead don't ya think.

 

In the classroom:

With six weeks of school left (Time to make up for our January Armageddon of snow) we will continue to be busy and creative in the classroom to help make the best of our make-up days: 

Our last "theme" of study for the year has us engaging in American Traditions. We have team t-shirts to tye-dye, a classroom quilt to create, field trips by bus and more Virtual Google Exporations,

Finally we'll wrap up the year celebrating summer birthdays by frosting and decorating our very own cupcakes and creating handmade pinatas (remember paper mache). I'll be sure to share our growing school of fishy beanbags as the kids have not grown tired stitching yet. I have a feeling I'll be putting some summer sewing kits together. Their enthusiasm to stitch truly makes my day!  Thanks so much for cheering us on with your kind comments, know your support makes my day too. I'm looking forward to sharing this creative month of fun with you as this Merry Month of May gets underway! .

I just posted May's themes on the sidebar. 

(I'm probably the only person late to their own linky.)

This week: Fish Beanbags

This week our classroom stitching continues as we begin to create fish beanbags.

First they have to trace, then cut their patterns. One girl has set out to create a "zebra fish".

Their stitching was taking over my desk...so now that many of them have grasped a few basic stitches, we've designated a table that they can sit together and stitch at once their work is done.  

I'm most impressed with their individuality. I've relished in the fact that their creativity is untarnished and without boundaries of "right or wrong". They have each set out to create their very own little fish, like the little zebra fish above and I've noticed them to be terribly encouraging of one another.
 
You can see below, my little expert with the green fish, continues his love of stitching as he advances on to use the chain stitch to create flowers on his "Flower Fish". I chuckle as I hear him announce to the others: "Look at me! I'm such a professional." And of course, they all agree with him as they stop to inspect in awe his stitched flowers. ( I bought him his very own variegated thread and he is over the moon as he stitches and the thread changes colors.) 

Oh and that poor guy in the red shirt. He soooooo badly wants to learn how to sew...but for the life of him, can't thread a needle nor complete a basic running stitch. I finally packed him an"at home" kit in hopes someone at home can help get him started. 

I've seen no tongue in cheek concentration but they beg to stay in at recess to stitch and I've noticed their conversations are light and happy as they each focus intently on their own little project.

There's still many elephants in the works and I'll have to take a better "inventory" of everyone's progress tomorrow....as with thirty students, I'm sure I've missed someone or something. LOL!

Until then...happy stitching everyone! Thanks for stopping by and cheering us on.

Tuesday Archives #158: Twin Size Quilts

Welcome to the linky party that rejuvenates your old quilting/sewing posts! 

Please click here to read more about this linky party.  

This week's theme is: TWIN SIZE Quilts

They measure about 68x88 and ya need about five yards of backing to finish a twin size quilt.

I knew exactly who I wanted to highlight for this week's post: Jasmine who blogs at Quilt Kisses.

As along with being a busy young mother of her adorable boys, she creates a home full of quilty love.

Happily Binding this Week

I have not one, but two quilt finishes ahead: 

The quilt on the left was donated to my classroom from Sharon. I got it quilted during spring break and the brown polka dot binding on today. I also quilted my H2H Pirate quilt and don't ya just love the little skull/cross bone binding I found to finish it?! Today was one of those days I just got going in the studio. Hubby used the afternoon to go pick up our outdoor fire place and I decided to stay home and spend the afternoon sewing. It felt soooo good!

I'm definitely looking forward to this slow stitching during evening TV this upcoming week and I'm looking forward to sharing these two finishes with you very soon. Until then....happy stitching! 

This week's theme: TWIN Size quilts.